Teaching and Learning Mixed Methods Research in Computer-Mediated Environment: Educational Gains and Challenges
Nataliya V Ivankova Educational Psychology and Research, School of Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Education, Birmingham AL, United States of America
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to describe the unique experiences of teaching and learning applied mixed methods research course in the computer-mediated environment and the associated educational gains and challenges, drawing on both instructor and students' experiences. Students' perspective is based on the formative feedback received during the course, end-of-course evaluations, and students' emails to the instructor collected during five semesters of the course offering. Educational gains that the online format offered were evident in the increased access to the course, more enriched and engaged learning, availability of prompt formative feedback, and exposure to multiple mixed methods research situations. For students, learning challenges fell into four categories: content, cognitive, technological, and those related to the online asynchronous learning environment. Pedagogical challenges related to the course design and student involvement with the course, while methodological challenges were caused by the specifics of the course content and availability of teaching resources.
Introduction
Computer-mediated learning is reshaping higher education, allowing for creation of new learning environments, inclusion of more nontraditional students, and affording greater access to education via online courses and programs (Beaudoin 2006; Hofmann 2002; Ivankova & Stick 2007; Wang 2006). According to the Sloan-C Survey of Online Learning nearly 3.94 million students were enrolled in at least one online course during fall 2007, representing over 20% of all U.S. higher education students (Allen & Seaman 2008). This is a 12% increase from the previous year. Convenience, flexibility, and improved student access to learning are the most often cited objectives for online courses and programs (Allen & Seaman 2008; Jones 2003; Song, Singleton, Hill, & Koh 2004). The latter include not only traditional content-based courses. Many post-secondary institutions begin offering online courses in research methods that require teaching both the content and applied research skills.
Methodological courses in quantitative and qualitative research designs have long been an integral part of the graduate school curricula (Page 2001; Tashakkori & Teddlie 2003b). Recently, in recognition of the growing application of integrated methods and the need for preparing more pragmatic researchers (Onwuegbuzie & Leech 2005a), a course in mixed methods research has been added to the programs of study in many post-secondary institutions (Creswell, Tashakkori, Jensen, & Shapley 2003). Most of these courses, however, have been developed for campus-based and commuter students, leaving out a growing distance student population who matriculate in extended education programs and are geographically removed from the locus of the home institution (Thompson 1998).
Reportedly, courses offered in the computer-mediated asynchronous learning (CMAL) environment provide students great flexibility for learning opportunities and allow for and facilitate maximum involvement by all participants (Moore & Kearsley 1996; Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek 2000). CMAL is characterized by a time delay between steps in dialog, giving participants the opportunity to reflect and respond at their own convenience. Because of its asynchronous format, CMAL allows learners to participate in numerous facilitated discussions and create knowledge in a collaborative and supportive manner (Palloff & Pratt 2005). At the same time, it creates challenges imposed by the distance learning environment, technological issues, different learning styles and other personally related internal and external factors (Kember 1995). Learning research methods in the CMAL environment imposes additional challenges related to the applied nature of the courses and the focus on the development of research skills, which requires increased involvement with the course content and a new set of instructional strategies (Kearsley 2000).
More importantly, the existing dichotomy of research methods (quantitative and qualitative) still observed in graduate school curricula (Onwuegbuzie & Leech 2005b) and across disciplines (Tashakkori & Creswell 2008) complicates the process of teaching and learning mixed methods research at the cognitive and methodological levels (Tashakkori & Teddlie 2003b). It also accounts for the fact that mixed methods courses are populated with students who vary in their research backgrounds, philosophical views, and willingness to work in new research paradigms. Reexamination of the current practices in the preparation of future scholars (Tashakkori & Creswell 2008) calls for creating effective learning environments for teaching and applying integrated methods including such non-traditional delivery formats as CMAL.
However, in spite of the growing popularity of mixed methods research and its seeming complexity particularly for novice researchers (Teddlie & Tashakkori 2009), little discussion has been devoted to the pedagogy of mixed methods. Few resources available focus on the general issues of teaching mixed methods research in social and behavioral sciences, course design, and sample syllabi (Creswell et al. 2003; Tashakkori & Teddlie 2003b). Additionally, Earley (2007) provided a thorough description of the process of creating an effective syllabus for teaching a mixed methods course, using a systematic 12-step procedure. Though applicable to teaching mixed methods research in any delivery format, these publications do not discuss the specific issues of teaching mixed methods in the CMAL environment and the associated gains and challenges. This article aims to close this gap in the literature and start the dialogue about the advantages and difficulties of teaching and learning mixed methods research online. The objective of the paper is to describe the unique experience of teaching and learning mixed methods in an online course and the related gains and challenges. Specifically, the article explains the course structure, instructional approach, educational gains that the online format offered, and learning, pedagogical, and methodological challenges, drawing on both instructor and students' experiences during five semesters of the course offering. Students' perspective is based on the formative feedback received during the course, formal end-of-course evaluations, and students' emails sent to the instructor at the conclusion of the course.
